MAY 3, 2015 (Sunday) - PRINCETON - All members please attend the MTA Spring Business Meeting at the Princeton Rod & Gun Club. Starts at 9AM, lunch at noon will be roast beef with all the trimmings at $12 per person. Mini fundraising auction after - Donations appreciated.

Walter L. Arnold, trapper, and one of the founders of the MTA, at his cabin in northern Maine in 1977. photo by David Hiser

​ The Maine Trappers Association was established in 1947 to provide an organization by which those with a common interest in the sport of trapping could come together to discuss their common goals.

Meetings of the Executive Committee are held 4 times per year. Membership meetings are held twice each year - on the first Sunday in May and in the month of September.

A newsletter, The Maine Trapper, is published quarterly and sent to all current members. If you'd like to join the MTA, go to the membership page for information.

The MTA has a proud history of bringing about changes that have enhanced the image of trappers and trapping. We have been leaders in supporting the development of traps and trapping techniques that are effective and humane. We have successfully supported legislation that has made trapping more acceptable to the non-trapping public, including mandatory trapper education. We have successfully opposed legislation when we felt that the changes would be harmful to the future of trapping or to the furbearers we harvest.

Maine Trappers Association History

In the late 1940's, Maine trappers were dissatisfied with the trapping season. The Legislature set the season at that time. Clyde Wells of Saco and H.E. Ford of Berwick thought that unifying the trappers in Maine was a necessity.

On September 1, 1947, the Maine Trappers Association (MTA) was formed. Luther DeVoe was elected president, Elwyn Smith was elected vice-president and J. Cliff Francis was elected secretary-treasurer. It seems that this meeting took place without the knowledge of either Mr. Ford or Mr. Wells. Membership dues were set at $1 per year.

This cabin, constructed in the 1980's by the Maine Trappers Association at Leonards Mills in Bradley Maine, was typical during the early days of trapping. The line cabin was designed for an overnight stay while checking the trap line. It was very simple and meant to provide temporary shelter only. Trappers could cache food supplies, fur stretchers, extra traps and tools needed to maintain his equipment in the cabin.

Leonards Mills holds their Living History Days each year on the first weekend in October. They are open year round for self guided tours, picnics and hiking on their nature trails. Check their website for other events, more info and directions to the Maine Forest and Logging Museum at Leonards Mills.

The Maine Trappers Association is working closely with SAM, MPGA, the US Sportsmen's Alliance and legislators to develop a strategy to proactively protect sportsmen (trappers) from abuse of frivolous ballot initiatives in the future. At this point, many bills are still in the Revisor's Office, and will likely not be scheduled for public hearing until later this month or sometime in April.

James Cote, MTAs Legislative Liasion, is watching this conversation closely. Because there are several bills that each take a different approach, it will be critical to coordinate our efforts with other groups. We should note that any effective measure will likely take weeks and months of preparation to pass, and then would require a 2/3 vote of the Legislature, and a majority vote of Maine's electorate. The timing of these bills must be carefully planned.

We will continue to keep members updated as our legislative strategy crystalizes in the following weeks. In addition, the bill to ban the use of dogs and trapping for bears has still not been scheduled. We realize these are both keystone bills for MTA and will send you more information as it becomes available. You can be sure MTA will be aggressive on these fronts. Please contact James Cote at jmcotecompany@gmail.com with any questions.